The Business of Giving

The following is a conversation with Michael Thatcher and Elijah Goldberg of Charity Navigator, and Denver Frederick, the Host of The Business of Giving. Charity Navigator, the world’s largest evaluator of nonprofits has acquired ImpactMatters, a start-up that applies rigorous methodology to assess nonprofit impact. That announcement, issued on October 14, ushered in a new era for how donors will go about their giving. And here to discuss that with us is Michael Thatcher, the CEO of Charity Navigator, and Elijah Goldberg, the Co-Founder of ImpactMatters, and who is now serving as the Vice President of Impact Ratings for Charity Navigator.

The following is a conversation between David Marquet, Author of Leadership is Language: The Hidden Power of What You Say and What You Don't, and Denver Frederick, the Host of The Business of Giving. Too many leaders fall in love with the sound of their own voice and wind up dictating plans and digging in their heels when problems begin to emerge. Even when they want to be a more collaborative leader, they can undermine their own efforts by defaulting to command and control language we've inherited from the industrial era. My next guest says it's time to toss that old playbook, and that begins with choosing the words that can dramatically improve decision making and execution on your team. He is Captain David Marquet, Author of Leadership is Language: The Hidden Power of What You Say and What You Don't.

The following is a conversation between Daniel Harkavy, Author of The 7 Perspectives of Effective Leaders, and Denver Frederick, the Host of The Business of Giving. In the midst of chaos, it is vital for leaders to have a framework, a playbook, a system that they can rely upon to guide them through the turbulent times. My next guest has provided just that. He is Daniel Harkavy, the Founder of Building Champions and the Author of a most timely new book titled The 7 Perspectives of Effective Leaders: A Proven Framework for Improving Decisions and Increasing Your Influence.

The following is a conversation between Steven Shapiro, Author of Invisible Solutions: 25 Lenses that Reframe and Help Solve Difficult Business Problems, and Denver Frederick, the Host of The Business of Giving. To find better solutions, you need to first ask better questions because the questions you ask will determine which solutions you'll see, and which ones will remain hidden. That is a topic of a fascinating new book by Stephen Shapiro, titled Invisible Solutions: 25 Lenses that Reframe and Help Solve Difficult Business Problems.

The following is a conversation between Lior Arussy, the Author of Next Is Now: 5 Steps for Embracing Change -- Building a Business that Thrives into the Future, and Denver Frederick, the Host of The Business of Giving.  Think about the last change initiative you had at your company or organization. How did that work out? In most cases, the answer would be not too well. Why is this so difficult? To find out why and how we can do it better at a time when change is absolutely essential for survival, it's a pleasure to have with us Lior Arussy, the author of Next Is Now: 5 Steps for Embracing Change.

The following is a conversation with Liesel Pritzker Simmons and Ian Simmons Co-founders of the Blue Haven Initiative, and Denver Frederick, the Host of The Business of Giving. Blue Haven Initiative is an innovative family office dedicated to putting wealth, to work for competitive returns and positive social and environmental change. And it's a pleasure to have with us the Co-Founders of Blue Haven, Liesel Pritzker Simmons and Ian Simmons.

The following is a conversation between Alden Mills, Author of Unstoppable Teams: The Four Essential Actions of High-Performance Teams, and Denver Frederick, the Host of The Business of Giving. Almost every field of endeavor could benefit from looking at the best practices from other fields and embracing the ones that make sense for them. For instance, do you think your organization could benefit from exercising the leadership and team-building practices of the Navy SEALS? My next guest answers that with a resounding "Yes!" He is Alden Mills, a former Navy SEAL platoon leader, and author of a wonderful book titled Unstoppable Teams, The Four Essential Actions of High-Performance Teams.

The following is a conversation between Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg, the Author of What's Your Problem? To Solve Your Toughest Problems, Change the Problems You Solve, and Denver Frederick, the Host of The Business of Giving. Denver: The World Economic Forum lists complex problem solving as the number one skill for 21st-century jobs. But how many of us, faced with a problem, just dive right in looking for a solution? My next guest says there's a better way, and that's taking a moment to reframe the problem presented to you and determine whether it, in fact, is the right problem to be working on. He is Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg, the Author of What's Your Problem? To Solve Your Toughest Problems, Change the Problems You Solve. Key Points from This Episode Thomas on what led him to write a book about problem-solving [00:42] The basic definition of a problem according to Thomas [01:59] Reframing is not a new idea [02:50] Reframing a problem vs analyzing a problem [04:24] Five reframing strategies [06:13] How Lori Weise reframed America's shelter dog problem [12:54] Why the skill of  reframing a problem is important [15:40] Reframing is an iterative process [16:26] The key contribution Thomas is making through his reframing strategies [18:01] Reframing is not just about the big problems but also getting the small things right [19:05] The relationship between good problem solvers and frustration [21:41] Three framing indicators to keep an eye out for [22:03] Real-world problem: The brilliant way a leader reframed his boss problem Paralysis Analysis [25:09] Thomas' vision [25:49]

The following is a conversation between Katherine Gehl, Co-Author of The Politics Industry: How Political Innovation Can Break Partisan Gridlock and Save our Democracy, and Denver Frederick, the Host of The Business of Giving. America's political system is dysfunctional. We all acknowledge that. But the truth is: it is working exactly how it is designed to work, which isn't for us, the ordinary citizen. While many of us throw up our arms in despair or simply gripe and complain about it endlessly, my next guest has carefully analyzed the problem and offers solutions to address it. She is Katherine Gehl, the Co-author of a wonderful and an important new book titled The Politics Industry: How Political Innovation Can Break Partisan Gridlock and Save Our Democracy.

The following is a conversation between Chris Marquis, Author of Better Business: How the B Corp Movement Is Remaking Capitalism, and Denver Frederick, the Host of The Business of Giving. Business has a big role to play in a capitalist society. It can tip the scales toward the benefit of a few with toxic side effects for all, or it can guide us toward better, more equitable long-term solutions. The latter is being achieved in large part through B Corporations. And the story of this movement is captured in a wonderful new book by Chris Marquis titled Better Business: How the B Corp Movement Is Remaking Capitalism.